A whimsical, quirky, and very personal history of cars. In the early days, cars were primarily a source of recreation. They shared unpaved roads with horses and wagons, and when they ran out of gas — which was often because there were few gas stations — horses had to pull them home. Driving mania soon began to shape the landscape. Cars begat gas stations, which sparked the popularity of family camping, going to the drive-in, and fast food. They even spawned bridges so that people could ford rivers in the comfort of their cars.
North America
Rex Zero, King of Nothing
In 1962 Ottawa, 11-year-old Rex Norton-Norton faces several confusing mysteries, including his father’s troubling secrets from World War II, the problems of a beautiful but unhappy woman named Natasha, what to do about his mean and vindictive teacher, and whether or not he should even be concerned about these things.
Mud Tortillas
Adriana makes tortillas replacing all the ingredients with fictitious alternatives.
The Legend of the Poinsettia
When Lucida is unable to finish her gift for the Baby Jesus in time for the Christmas procession, a miracle enables her to offer the beautiful flower we now call the poinsettia.
The Tale of Rabbit and Coyote
Rabbit outwits Coyote in this Zapotec tale which explains why coyotes howl at the moon, as the incorrigible Rabbit once again gets the best of Coyote.
This book is the WOW Recommends: Book of the month for August 2020.
Flower
When thirteen-year-old Katie learns that her stepmother is pregnant, she spends the summer at her grandparents’ Victorian home brooding, until the presence of an old-fashioned girl on her bedroom wall shares secrets of the real meaning of family.
Another Shore
Seventeen-year-old Lyn, working in a reconstructed colonial settlement in Nova Scotia, suddenly finds herself transported back to 1744, when the French inhabitants are at war with England.